When Jess reaches the classroom to her first class, she takes a quick look around, at both the room and her fellow classmates, and taking note that Garth is in this class as well, before deciding to sit in the front row.
Jess’ classmates pull out their laptops, and upon realizing she's the only person without one, she makes do with a small notepad from her little purse.
When Professor MacLeod begins to speak, Jess notes that she has a thick Scottish accent,
“A medical education means you will learn to speak in a new language. You will learn to achieve insight into the world around you, and question every illness you've ever had. Whatever seat you're sitting in, it's yours for the next 9 months. Of. Your. Life.” MacLeod emphasizes the last three words to really drive the point home.
“And those of you in the front row.” MacLeod surveys the front row, stopping for a moment when she sees Jess, sans laptop, and warns, “Beware.”
Naturally, that makes Jess a little nervous, so she focuses on putting her name on the seating chart that's just been handed to her.
MacLeod turns back to the board, reading the quote written,
“There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow.” She turns back to the class to ask, “Does anyone know who first said those profound words?”
Garth's hand immediately shoots up, so MacLeod calls on him, “Yes?”
Garth replies enthusiastically, “Orison Swett Marden.”
Jess doesn't know if he's right, but apparently the fact that Garth answered almost immediately is enough for MacLeod to move closer, looking at him curiously, before asking, “Are you sure?”
Garth has no problem replying, “Yes.”
But it's clear MacLeod's trying to rattle him, because she says next, “Would you be willing to stake your enrollment in this class on it?”
Garth wasn't expecting that, but he still says, “I think so.”
MacLeod's too smart to not see that she's made him nervous, so she moves to the person directly in front of him, and asks, “What about…” she pats the student's shoulder. “His enrollment?”
This is where Garth finally has to own up to his faults. “I don't know.”
Satisfied, MacLeod informs him, “Young man, if you're going to be a doctor, you need to be absolutely sure of your decisions before immediately going full steam ahead. Doubts result in being sued for malpractice, or worse, the death of a patient.”
With that, MacLeod grabs the seating chart and walks back to the front of the room.
“Oh, by the way? You were right.” MacLeod says, her attention still on Garth, smiling. “It was Orison Swett Marden.”
The whole classroom lets out a collective sigh of relief.
MacLeod tells the entire class, “Let this be one of many lessons you'd all do well to remember. It's not just about being right. It's about standing by it, even if someone challenges you.”
That done, MacLeod moves onto the lesson plan,
“Now, I'm going to assume it's safe to say that you've all read pages 1 to 48 and are now well versed on The Sensitive Gut. Who can tell me the symptoms of a gastrointestinal disorder? Let’s try someone in the hot seats.”
MacLeod looks around the room, glancing at the seating chart, and upon seeing the name of the girl in the front that is clearly not prepared, moves to where she's sitting, while Jess is completely oblivious as she writes in her notepad.
